Bodyline
by kornerbrandon
Summary: A cricket AU story based on the events of the infamous 1932-33 Ashes series between England and Australia. I don't own Kickin' It or the ABC miniseries Bodyline


**G'day mates, here's a new story for ya! Please note that it is a story based on the sport of cricket, so I strongly advase you learn the basic rules of the game at some point in this story. Here's the cast list:**

**Sir Donald Bradman, AC-Jack  
Douglas Jardine (England captain)-Ty  
Harold Larwood-Brody  
Bill Woodfull (Australian captain)-Rudy  
Bert Odlfield-Milton  
Victor Richardson-Jerry  
Bill Ponsford-Eddie  
Sir Pelham "Plum" Warner (England manager)- Bobby  
Jessie Menzies (Don's wife)-Kim**

**This is a sort of introductory chapter for the three main characters. Moving on to the story, then!**

It's a time that's gone now, fading from our memory. But what a time it was; a time of Empire. A time that saw 3 million Englishmen tumble out of their cottages and farms, their barracks and palaces to colonise the world. Never before or since, has a country embraced a craze the way the British embraced their Empire. Believing above all that God was an Englishman, they took their langauge, their democracy and their law to the furthest corners of the world.

And from that Empire, there emerged men who would become legends: Doctor Livingstone on the shores of Lake Tanginika, General Gordon martyred at Khartoum. On and on they went, deeds of valour and glory beyond imagination. And together, the helped to build the largest empire the world has ever seen. An Empire in which 40 million Englishmen, held sway over almost one third of the world's population. An Empire, which at its height, boasted more than 4 Dominions, 8 Protectorates, 40 Possessions, and in the words of the Colonial Office, nearly all the isolated rocks and islands in the oceans of the world.

Was it any wonder that Cecil Rhodes wrote, "To be born British, is to win first prize in the lottery of life."

Even so, in the final account, every Empire is built on force. Every Empire depends on conquest. History has taught us this. The Persians, the Romans and Napoleon all relied on conquest to expand their borders. Every Empire that ever existed, is reatined only through unwavering will.

This is a story of that Empire, a story of unwavering will. The story of three men: Brody Carlson, English. The son of a coal miner born in to poverty in Nuncargate, Nottinghamshire. Jack Brewer, born and raised in the Australian bush. The man who became a hero to his nation. And Ty Williams, a child of the British Rajh. Born in India, educated in England, surrouned all his life by affluence and power.

As only the Empire could conspire to do, these men came together in January 1933 in the small Australian city of Adelaide, (the City of Churches, it's sometimes called) there to do battle.

They faced each other down 22 yards of carefully tended turf to play cricket, the hallowed game of Empire.

But suffer no illusion. In the guise of a game, this was as bitter as any war. It was to consume honour, tradition and friendship. It was about a young nation, Australia, finally emerging from beneath England's shadow. It was about the Empire breaking apart.

To this day, Ty remains the most hated man ever to set foot in Australia. They said he was dangerous, ruthless, a man obsessed. In time, his own country would reject him, as they rejected Carlson as well. But the private man was far removed from the public eye. He could be loyal, humble, witty. He was a man who wanted to write his will across the sky and stars. He knew fear and he conquered it.

Brody Carlson is next to him in hatred. Just like Ty, his own country would reject him with time. But again, his private image far differed from his public one. He, like Ty, was very loyal to those around him. He was not a priveliged child, coming from England's middle class, but his sheer determination and willingness to follow orders saw him achieve fame as well as infamy beyond his wildest dreams.

Jack Brewer was the complete opposite. Bown in the small town of Bowral in New South Wales, he was carefree, easygoing, and like most Australians, held the class system with little to regard, freely mingling with those of more priveliged backgrounds, in sharp contrast with England. His humble upbringing belied his intense determination and skill, which would see him achieve sporting fame the likes of which had not been seen before, and is unlikely to see again.

**And there is the first chapter of Bodyline. Hope you enjoyed it! This fic is not my top priority story at the moment, so please do not expect regular updates. See ya mates!**


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